Heat exchanger and method

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger device is disclosed herein. The heat exchanger device includes a dryer-exhaust interface configured to releasably couple with the exhaust port of the clothes dryer and to receive the hot air from a clothes dryer, a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat from the dryer&#39;s exhaust to ambient air, and an exhaust outlet that discharges heated air from the exhaust. The device is may useful for recycling hot air from a clothes dryer into a home and help with heating the home.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/492,101 filed Apr. 28, 2017, whichis incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understandingthe present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of theinformation provided herein is prior art nor material to the presentlydescribed or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or documentthat is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of clothes dryers,and more specifically relates to accessories for a clothes dryer.

RELATED ART

Homes frequently include a clothes dryer, and millions are manufacturedeach year. Clothes dryers are often reliable and affordable. In general,clothes dryers utilize hot air to dry clothes. The basic components of aclothes dryer include a rotating tumbler and a heater. The rotatingtumbler holds the clothes and an electric or gas powered heater heatsair that is drawn through the wet clothes as they tumble. The hot airpassing through the clothes heats up the clothes and the water in them.Typical clothes dryers also include an exhaust vent that passes out ofthe dryer and out of the house, to permit the water to exit the dryer inthe form of steam.

Typical clothes dryers are connected to an exhaust duct that is open tothe outdoors through a duct hole in a wall of the home. Porting outsidethe home heat generated by the clothes dryer can be a waste of valuableheat. In the US, an electric dryer typically uses 220 volts ofelectricity to generate the heat required for the drying process. By wayof comparison, electric baseboard heaters also utilize 220 volts ofelectricity to generate heat for the home. As a result, every time thatan electric clothes dryer is run, the consumer is venting to the outsideheat generated by the same voltage as that generated by an electricbaseboard heater over the same period of time. A suitable solution isdesired.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,349 to Richard A. Brunner relates to a heat recoverysystem for clothes dryer. The described heat recovery system for clothesdryer includes heat recovery unit for a clothes dryer works towardsmeeting this need. The heat recovery unit may include a housing having asupport box and a cover attached to the support box by a hinge. Thecover may include an exhaust register and an indicator light coverthrough which a ‘clean filter now’ light, a ‘low flow’ light, and a‘high temperature warning’ light may be viewed when lit. The heatrecovery unit also may include a controls box positioned in the supportbox, where the controls box maintains electronic intelligence of therecovery unit. A recovery unit fan may be positioned in the support boxto blow room temperature air up through a heat exchanger in the supportbox. An internal bypass channel may channel clothes dryer air around andoutside of the heat exchanger during hot days. A filter in the supportbox on an inlet side of the heat exchanger may filter out lint and dustand a catch pan located in the support box may catch condensate from adrip pan located in the support box on an exhaust side of the heatexchanger to catch condensate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known clothesdryer art, the present disclosure provides a novel dryer heat exchanger.The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be describedsubsequently in greater detail, is to provide a device for capturing theheat from a clothes dryer exhaust in order to recycle that heat, forexample, back into a home to help warm that house.

A heat exchanger for a clothes dryer, the clothes dryer having anexhaust port configured to discharge a hot air from the clothes dryer isdisclosed herein. The heat exchanger includes a dryer-exhaust interfaceconfigured to releasably couple with the exhaust port of the clothesdryer and to receive the hot air from the clothes dryer. The device alsoincludes a heat exchanger including an exhaust-air duct pneumaticallycoupled to the dryer-exhaust interface, a heating-air inlet configuredto receive an ambient air, and a heating-air duct pneumatically coupledto the heating-air inlet, the heat exchanger configured to transfer heatfrom the hot air received from the clothes dryer to the ambient airreceived via the heating-air inlet. The device further includes anexhaust outlet pneumatically coupled to the exhaust-air duct, aheating-air exhaust pneumatically coupled to the heating-air duct, and adischarge fan configured to assist the discharge of the heated air fromthe exhaust, where the exhaust outlet is configured to pneumaticallycouple to an external discharge port, and further configured todischarge the hot air from the heat exchanger via the external dischargeport, and where the heating-air exhaust is configured to discharge aheated air from the heat exchanger to a user.

According to another embodiment, a method of recycling exhaust from theclothes dryer is also disclosed herein. The method of recycling exhaustfrom a clothes dryer includes the steps of: providing a heat exchangeras described above; providing a discharge fan configured to assist thedischarge of the heated air from the exhaust, the discharge fanincluding a power supply and a controller, the power supply electricallycoupled to the discharge fan and configured to power the discharge fan,and the controller electrically coupled to the discharge fan andconfigured to operate the discharge fan; coupling the dryer-exhaustinterface of the heat exchanger to the exhaust port of the clothesdryer, and the exhaust outlet of the heat exchanger to the externaldischarge port; and setting a threshold temperature for operating thedischarge fan.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages,and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is tobe understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achievedin accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus,the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achievesor optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught hereinwithout necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught orsuggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to benovel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in theconcluding portion of the specification. These and other features,aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become betterunderstood with reference to the following drawings and detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specificationillustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, aheat exchanger device, constructed and operative according to theteachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the heat exchanger during an‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1,according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the heat exchanger device of FIG. 1, showingthe heat exchanger in isolation, according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of recycling exhaust froma clothes dryer, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter bedescribed in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein likedesignations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to adrying system and more particularly to a heat exchanger device as usedto provide a device for capturing the heat from a clothes dryer exhaustin order to recycle that heat back into a home to help warm that house.

Generally, the device of this disclosure may provide a heat exchangerthat removes heat from the exhaust air of clothes dryer and directs theheat into the home. The device may include a fan that draws “cool”ambient air, for example, from the floor, and warms it as the air passesover the dryer exhaust duct. As designed, this may remove heat from theexhausting air in a dryer in order to conserve energy and supplement thehome's heating system. The device may also offer a method of utilizingthe dryer exhaust without impeding the movement of moist air and lint tothe exterior of the building. The present invention may further includea micro switch that activates the fan when the dryer is turned on anddeactivates the fan when the dryer stops.

The device may comprise a tubular channel having a fan assembly andseparate ports for distributing heat exhaust claimed from the clothesdryer into a residence or building without including any of the lint orresidual moisture. The fan assembly may include a micro switch and poweradapter that turns the fan on and off when the dryer stops and starts.Additional fittings and accessories may be included for allowing thedevice to be retrofitted to a plurality of dryer units and roomconfigurations. The exact specifications may vary.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals ofreference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-4, various views of a heatexchanger 100.

FIG. 1 shows a heat exchanger 100 during an ‘in-use’ condition 50,according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, the heatexchanger 100 may be beneficial for use by a user to provide a devicefor capturing the heat from a clothes dryer 10 exhaust in order torecycle that heat back into a home to help warm that house. Asillustrated, the heat exchanger 100 may include a heat exchanger 120configured transfer heat from the hot air received from the clothesdryer 10, an exhaust outlet 130, a heating-air exhaust 140, and adischarge fan 150. The exhaust outlet 130 may be configured topneumatically couple to an external discharge port and furtherconfigured to discharge the hot air from the heat exchanger via theexternal discharge port. The heating-air exhaust 140 may be configuredto discharge a heated air from the heat exchanger to a user or within ahome. To assist with that, the heat exchanger 100 may use a dischargefan 150 configured to assist the discharge of the heated air from theexhaust.

According to one embodiment, the heat exchanger 100 may be arranged as akit 105. In particular, the heat exchanger 100 may further include a setof instructions 107. The instructions 107 may detail functionalrelationships in relation to the structure of the heat exchanger 100such that the heat exchanger 100 can be used, maintained, or the like,in a preferred manner.

FIG. 2 shows the heat exchanger 100 for a clothes dryer 10 of FIG. 1,according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the heatexchanger 100 for a clothes dryer 10 having an exhaust port 15configured to discharge a hot air from the clothes dryer 10 may includea dryer-exhaust interface 110 including a substantially right angle duct127, wherein the dryer-exhaust interface 110 may be configured toreleasably couple with the exhaust port 15 of the clothes dryer 10 andto receive the hot air from the clothes dryer 10. The heat exchanger 100may also include a heat exchanger 120 having an exhaust-air duct 121pneumatically coupled to the dryer-exhaust interface, a heating-airinlet 122 configured to receive an ambient air, and a heating-air duct123 pneumatically coupled to the heating-air inlet 122. The heating-airinlet 122 may include a plurality of apertures 128. The heat exchanger120 may include a filter member 126 configured to direct debris from theclothes dryer, along with an external insulation layer 124 that mayfeature decorative indicia 125. As shown, the heat exchanger 100 mayalso include an exhaust outlet 130, a heating-air exhaust 140pneumatically coupled to the heating-air duct 123, and a discharge fan150 configured to assist the discharge of the heated air from theexhaust.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the heat exchanger 100 of FIG. 1, according toan embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the heat exchanger100 may include an external insulation layer 124 that may include adecorative indicia 125. The discharge fan 150 of the heat exchanger 100may include a power supply 151 and a controller 152, where the powersupply 151 may be electrically coupled to the discharge fan 150 andconfigured to power the discharge fan 150, while the controller 152 maybe electrically coupled to the discharge fan 150 and configured tooperate the discharge fan 150. The power supply itself may include aplug 154 configured for use in a standard home AC electrical outlet tohelp power the heat exchanger 100.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the heat exchanger 100 of FIG. 1, according toan embodiment of the present disclosure. Here again, the heat exchanger100 may include a heat exchanger 120 having a filter member 126, anexhaust-air duct 121 pneumatically coupled to the dryer-exhaustinterface 110 and a heating-air inlet 122 with a plurality of apertures128, wherein the heating-air inlet 122 may be configured to receiveambient air. The heat exchanger 100 may also include a mounting fastener131 for coupling with the exhaust port 15 (FIG. 2) of the clothes dryer10 (FIG. 2). As illustrated, the heat exchanger 100 may include aheating-air exhaust 140 and a discharge fan 150 having a controller 152including a temperature sensor 153, wherein the controller 152 may beelectrically coupled to the discharge fan 150 and configured to operatethe discharge fan 150.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 500 of recycling exhaustfrom a clothes dryer, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. In particular, the method 500 of recycling exhaust from aclothes dryer may include one or more components of the heat exchanger100 as described above. As illustrated, the method 500 of recyclingexhaust from a clothes dryer may include the steps of: step one 501,providing a heat exchanger including a dryer-exhaust interfaceconfigured to releasably couple with the exhaust port of the clothesdryer and to receive the hot air from the clothes dryer, a heatexchanger including an exhaust-air duct pneumatically coupled to thedryer-exhaust interface, a heating-air inlet configured to receive anambient air, and a heating-air duct pneumatically coupled to theheating-air inlet, the heat exchanger configured transfer heat from thehot air received from the clothes dryer to the ambient air received viathe heating-air inlet, an exhaust outlet pneumatically coupled to theexhaust-air duct, the exhaust outlet configured to pneumatically coupleto an external discharge port, and further configured to discharge thehot air from the heat exchanger via the external discharge port, and aheating-air exhaust pneumatically coupled to the heating-air duct, theheating-air exhaust configured to discharge a heated air from the heatexchanger to a user; step two 502, providing a discharge fan configuredto assist the discharge of the heated air from the exhaust, thedischarge fan including a power supply and a controller, the powersupply electrically coupled to the discharge fan and configured to powerthe discharge fan, and the controller electrically coupled to thedischarge fan and configured to operate the discharge fan; step three503, coupling the dryer-exhaust interface of the heat exchanger to theexhaust port of the clothes dryer, and the exhaust outlet of the heatexchanger to the external discharge port; and step four 504, setting athreshold temperature for operating the discharge fan. According to oneembodiment, the method 500 may further include a step 505, decouplingthe heat exchanger from the clothes dryer and the external dischargeport.

It should be noted that step 505 is an optional step and may not beimplemented in all cases. Optional steps of method of use 500 areillustrated using dotted lines in FIG. 5 so as to distinguish them fromthe other steps of method of use 500. It should also be noted that thesteps described in the method of use can be carried out in manydifferent orders according to user preference. The use of “step of”should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is notintended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should alsobe noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issuesas design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost,structural requirements, available materials, technological advances,etc., other methods for heat exchanger 100, are taught herein.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary andnumerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readilyenvisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which areintended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention.Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially thescientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiarwith patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from acursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure ofthe application.

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:
 1. A heat exchanger for a clothesdryer, the clothes dryer having an exhaust port configured to dischargea hot air from the clothes dryer, the heat exchanger comprising: adryer-exhaust interface configured to releasably couple with the exhaustport of the clothes dryer and to receive the hot air from the clothesdryer; a heat exchanger including an exhaust-air duct pneumaticallycoupled to the dryer-exhaust interface, a heating-air inlet configuredto receive an ambient air, and a heating-air duct pneumatically coupledto the heating-air inlet, the heat exchanger configured transfer heatfrom the hot air received from the clothes dryer to the ambient airreceived via the heating-air inlet; an exhaust outlet pneumaticallycoupled to the exhaust-air duct, the exhaust outlet configured topneumatically couple to an external discharge port, and furtherconfigured to discharge the hot air from the heat exchanger via theexternal discharge port; and a heating-air exhaust pneumatically coupledto the heating-air duct, the heating-air exhaust configured to dischargea heated air from the heat exchanger to a user.
 2. The heat exchanger ofclaim 1, further comprising a discharge fan configured to assist thedischarge of the heated air from the exhaust.
 3. The heat exchanger ofclaim 2, wherein the discharge fan includes a power supply and acontroller, the power supply electrically coupled to the discharge fanand configured to power the discharge fan, and the controllerelectrically coupled to the discharge fan and configured to operate thedischarge fan.
 4. The heat exchanger of claim 3, wherein the controllerincludes a temperature sensor configured to activate the discharge fanwhen a threshold temperature is exceeded.
 5. The heat exchanger of claim4, wherein the threshold temperature is manually selectable.
 6. The heatexchanger of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured todeactivate the discharge fan when the clothes dryer is not in use. 7.The heat exchanger of claim 3, wherein the power supply includes a plugconfigured for use in a standard home AC electrical outlet.
 8. The heatexchanger of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger includes an externalinsulation layer.
 9. The heat exchanger of claim 8, wherein the externalinsulation layer includes decorative indicia.
 10. The heat exchanger ofclaim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is adjustable between a plurality oflengths extending between the dryer-exhaust interface and theheating-air exhaust.
 11. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heatexchanger includes a filter member configured to direct a debris fromthe clothes dryer to the external discharge port.
 12. The heat exchangerof claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is made of metal.
 13. The heatexchanger of claim 1, wherein the dryer-exhaust interface includes asubstantially right angle duct.
 14. The heat exchanger of claim 1,wherein the heating-air inlet includes a plurality of apertures.
 15. Theheat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heating-air duct and theexhaust-air duct together include concentric flowpaths for the heatedair and the hot air, respectively, the heating air.
 16. The heatexchanger of claim 1, wherein the exhaust outlet includes a mountingfastener.
 17. A heat exchanger for a clothes dryer, the clothes dryerhaving an exhaust port configured to discharge a hot air from theclothes dryer, the heat exchanger comprising: a dryer-exhaust interfaceconfigured to releasably couple with the exhaust port of the clothesdryer and to receive the hot air from the clothes dryer; a heatexchanger including an exhaust-air duct pneumatically coupled to thedryer-exhaust interface, a heating-air inlet configured to receive anambient air, and a heating-air duct pneumatically coupled to theheating-air inlet, the heat exchanger configured transfer heat from thehot air received from the clothes dryer to the ambient air received viathe heating-air inlet; an exhaust outlet pneumatically coupled to theexhaust-air duct, the exhaust outlet configured to pneumatically coupleto an external discharge port, and further configured to discharge thehot air from the heat exchanger via the external discharge port; aheating-air exhaust pneumatically coupled to the heating-air duct, theheating-air exhaust configured to discharge a heated air from the heatexchanger to a user; and a discharge fan configured to assist thedischarge of the heated air from the exhaust; and, wherein the dischargefan includes a power supply and a controller, the power supplyelectrically coupled to the discharge fan and configured to power thedischarge fan, and the controller electrically coupled to the dischargefan and configured to operate the discharge fan; wherein the controllerincludes a temperature sensor configured to activate the discharge fanwhen a threshold temperature is exceeded; wherein the thresholdtemperature is manually selectable; wherein the controller is furtherconfigured to deactivate the discharge fan when the clothes dryer is notin use; wherein the power supply includes a plug configured for use in astandard home AC electrical outlet; wherein the heat exchanger includesan external insulation layer; wherein the external insulation layerincludes decorative indicia; wherein the heat exchanger is adjustablebetween a plurality of lengths extending between the dryer-exhaustinterface and the heating-air exhaust; wherein the heat exchangerincludes a filter member configured to direct a debris from the clothesdryer to the external discharge port; wherein the heat exchanger is madeof metal; wherein the dryer-exhaust interface includes a substantiallyright angle duct; wherein the heating-air inlet includes a plurality ofapertures; wherein the heating-air duct and the exhaust-air ducttogether include concentric flowpaths for the heated air and the hotair, respectively, the heating air; and wherein the exhaust outletincludes a mounting fastener.
 18. The heat exchanger of claim 17,further comprising set of instructions; and wherein the heat exchangeris arranged as a kit.
 19. A method of recycling exhaust from a clothesdryer, the clothes dryer having an exhaust port configured to dischargea hot air from the clothes dryer, the method comprising the steps of:providing a heat exchanger including a dryer-exhaust interfaceconfigured to releasably couple with the exhaust port of the clothesdryer and to receive the hot air from the clothes dryer, a heatexchanger including an exhaust-air duct pneumatically coupled to thedryer-exhaust interface, a heating-air inlet configured to receive anambient air, and a heating-air duct pneumatically coupled to theheating-air inlet, the heat exchanger configured transfer heat from thehot air received from the clothes dryer to the ambient air received viathe heating-air inlet, an exhaust outlet pneumatically coupled to theexhaust-air duct, the exhaust outlet configured to pneumatically coupleto an external discharge port, and further configured to discharge thehot air from the heat exchanger via the external discharge port, and aheating-air exhaust pneumatically coupled to the heating-air duct, theheating-air exhaust configured to discharge a heated air from the heatexchanger to a user; providing a discharge fan configured to assist thedischarge of the heated air from the exhaust, the discharge fanincluding a power supply and a controller, the power supply electricallycoupled to the discharge fan and configured to power the discharge fan,and the controller electrically coupled to the discharge fan andconfigured to operate the discharge fan; coupling the dryer-exhaustinterface of the heat exchanger to the exhaust port of the clothesdryer, and the exhaust outlet of the heat exchanger to the externaldischarge port; and setting a threshold temperature for operating thedischarge fan.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the stepof decoupling the heat exchanger from the clothes dryer and the externaldischarge port.